Tread strip forming machine



Jan. 5, 1932. H. A. WEAVER TREAD STRIP FORMING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm mm I.

Jan. 5, 19 32. WEAVER 1,839,429

TREAD STRIP FORMING MACHINE Ill Filed Sept. 20, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 2 J51.- $4M. aw

H. A. WEAVER TREAD STRIP FORMING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fiizzars- /ead n Patented Jan. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE v HARRY A. WEAVER, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AssieNon T MANNING &' co; or

GHICAGO, ILLINoIs, A eon-roR-ATIoN or ILL NoIs f TREAD STRIP FORMING MACHINE Application filed September 20, 1929. Serial No. 393,918.

This invention relates to improvements in tread strip forming machines and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. i

The tread strip produced by my improved machine comprises a metallic channel having a restricted inlet mouth or slot and a rubber strip which is inserted lengthwise through said slot into said channel while under compression. Thus the natural expansive action of the rubber strip assists in holding it in place in the channel with a part thereof extending beyond said slot to form a tread sur- 1'5 face. Sucha tread strip is of advantage in forming an anti slip tread surface upon automobile running boards and upon the stairs of dwellings and other buildings.

The primary object of the inventionis to provide a simple and efficient machine for inserting a length of rubber or other compressible strip material, longitudinally through the slot of an associated channel into the interior thereof in a manner leaving a portion of said strip extending above the while in a position above the channel mouth and then to push or force said compressed rubber" strip downthrough the channel slot and into said channel where it'tends to ex- 1 pand back into its normal condition.

These objects of the invention as well as others together with the many advantages thereof will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification. L

, In the drawings Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of a tread strip forming machine embodying one form of my invention;

' Fig. 2 is a top plan viewthereof with broken away whereby the invention may be better illustrated. Fig. 3 is a transverse'vertical sectional view thru'the machine as taken on the line 3-8.

of Fig; 2. Y "Flg'. 4 is another transverse vertical sectional view through the machine as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale through thechannel receivingblocks and coacting means for let erally compressing the rubber strip associated with the channel. Y I i Fig.6 is a view similar to Fig; 5 with the a of greater thickness which provides a flat topped bed 5 with an upright shoulder 6 at its rear that extends from one side to the other of the base. I

7 indicates an elongated block ofrectan gular cross sectionseated on the'bed 5 up against the shoulder 6. The-top front most corner of said block is rabbeted to provide a ledge 8 and an upright shoulder 9-at the rear thereof. Onthetop of said block is a bar 10 and lag bolts 11 pass downwardly through the bar and block into the base to secure said parts rigidly together. The front marginal portion of said bar overhangs the ledge'8 andthere has a bevelled. edge 12.2 In.

, said elongated block and opening throughthe front thereof, is a plurality of recesses 13' each ofwhich contains a spring 14 the pur-' pose of which will presently appear. There is also provided in said block, horizontally disposed,i transversely extending openings 15 which register with-like openings 16- in the shoulder 6. i p

' Associated with the block 7 fixed upon the bed 5, is a second block 17, of a similar cross section. Said second block is 'capable of a sliding movement on said bed toward andaway from the fixed block 7 and pins 18 which are secured at one end in saidblock? and extend through the block 17,,provide aguide ward movementto said rods.

purpose of which will presently appear.

Movement is imparted to said block 17 by means of horizontally disposed rods 25 which are fixed at their front-ends in said block and have sliding bearings near said ends in the openings 1 and 16 of the block 7 and shoulder 6 respectively. The rear end of eac'h rod slides through a, bushing 26in turn having a sliding movement in an ear 27 ris mg from the base 1 at points between the bearing standards 22. On the extreme rear end of each rod are nuts and washers 28 and surrounding a part of each rod between the associated bushing 26 and said nuts and washers is a helical expansion spring 29. I

On the shaft '3 before mentioned, above each rod is'fixed a'cam30 havingparts 30*30 adapted to straddle the associated rod and to engage the front end of the bushing 26. To

impart a rocking actuating movement to said shaft I provide a substantially U shaped frame having side arms 313l and a member 32 :connecting the front ends thereof. Said member is adapted to overhang the fixed" block 7 and is rabbeted along its bottom front edge to receive a presser'or pusher bar 33 secured in place by lag screws 3a. The bottom surface of this bar. is concaved as best shown in Fig. 6. .Toswing the said frame up or down in the actuation thereof, I secure to the arms 31 thereof a U shaped lever 35. The arms 3131.have rear extensions 36 ineach of which is secured a rod 37 to receive a oounter weight 38. r

In the operation of the machine, when a downward pull isexerted upon the U shaped lever'35,the shaft 3 is caused to rock and bring the parts 30"3O of each cam into engagement with'the front end of the associated bushing 26. This will move the bushings 26,1'earwardly onthe associated rods 25. and will through the springs 29 impart a rear- As said rods are fixed at their front ends to the movable block 17 it is apparent that said block is moved toward the fixed -blockj7. In this movement of the bloiclrlfithe springs "14 in the. recess 13 of the fixed block? are compressed. F 1

iFrom the above, it is apparent that the connectionsbetween thecams 30 and rods 25 are not; rigid ones-but are yielding ones, produced through the action of the springs'29. In the upward swing of the Ushaped lever 35, the springs :14 operate to move the block 17 away fromthe block 7 and this .will of. course causethe'bushings26 to bemoved back' into-.the associated bearing" ears 2'? through the action of the springs 29, the weights 38 of course counterbalancing the frame arms 31 and connecting bar 32.

The tread strip which my improved machine is designed to produce, includes a sheet metal channel member 39 having a bottom wall or web 40 and side walls or flanges ll-4C1 respectively, the top marginal parts of said side walls being bent inwardly toward each other to form a somewhat restricted inlet or mouth 42 therefor, as best shown in Fig. 5. In the bottom wall of the channel are longitudinally spaced openings 43. Associated with the channel is a strip of rubber 44 or other suitable material of substantially. a rectangular cross section. In said strip is, a longitudinally extending T shapedgroove 45 to receive a plurality of flat headed screws 46 and a metallic protecting strip 47 disposed above said heads.

In operation, with the movable block 1 7 in its position furthest removed from the'fixed block 7, a channel strip is inserted in place between said bloclrs with the bottom'wall 40 thereof resting on the ledges 8 and 19 respectively of said blocks. The channel is then moved rearwardly to engage the shoulder 9 of the block 7 and the. rear flange of the channel is then disposed beneath the overhanging margin of the bar 10 as best shown in Fig. 5'.

With the channel disposed in this position. astrip of rubber 44 with the sorews46 and strip 47 in place therein'is then applied upon the top of the channel with the screws 46 lining up with the openings 13 in the bottom wall of the channel, which openings in turn line up with the notches or recesses in the movable block 17. Q

When the parts of the tread strip as a whole are positioned as. described, the U shaped lever arm is grasped and swung downwardly. This willrock the shaft 3 and the cam parts 30 thereon will engage their respective bushings 26 and push the pressed rubber strip from above and" will force or pushit downwardly through said mouth into the channel. With the flat head'-' ed screws 46 positioned the strip as'mentioned, they will in said downward move ment of the strip, pass through the openings 43 in the bottom wall ofthe channel. When said. strip. isin the channel it"williexpand tosnugly fill the'channel with a portion-of its top projectingasuit-able distance above the plane of the top edges of the channel flanges 41 as best shown in Fig. 6.

IVhen the arm 35 is swung upwardly, the v bodying therein, means providing a support block 17 will move outwardly away from the block 7 when the completed tread strip may be removed from the machine which is now ready to receive a similar channel and rubber strip to produce the next tread strip.

With my improved machine, the entire length of the rubber strip is first compressed laterally and is then pushed down into the channel. In this manner the parts of the tread strip are easily and quickly assembled.

The parts of the machine are comparatively few in number and are strong and rigid so that they will not readily give out in use.

While in describing my invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, the same is tobe considered merely as illustrative so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention;

1. A machine of the kind described embodying, therein, means providing a support for a channel member having a restricted inlet, and means for compressing in a direction other than endwise the entire length of a strip positioned adjacent the restricted mouth of the channel and for moving said compressed length of strip through said restricted mouth into said channel. 7

2. A machine of the kind described embodying therein, means providing a support for a channel member having a restricted inlet, and means for compressing in a direction other than endwise the entire length of a strip positioned above the restricted mouth of the channel and for moving said compressed length of strip downwardly through said mouth into said channel.

3. A machine of the kind described embodying therein, a pair of relatively movable members providing a support for a channel member having a restricted inlet, means associated with said members and operable in the relative movement thereof toward each other to laterally compress a strip positionedadiacent said inlet and other means for engaging the compressed strip for moving it through said restricted inlet into said channel.

4:. A machine of the kind described embodying therein, a pair of members relatively movable in a plane toward and away from each other and providing a support for a channel member having a restricted inlet, means associated with said members and operable in the relative movement. thereof toward each other to laterally compress a strip positioned adjacent said channel member and a third member movable substantially at a right angle to said first mentioned plane for 7 through said inlet into said channel. I

bed emforcingsaid compressedstrip through said restricted inlet into said channel. I

5. A machine of the :kind described emfor a channel member having a restricted inlet, means associated with saidsupport and relatively movable toward and away from eachotherto laterally compress a strip posi :tionedabove saidchannel and a member movable towardiand away from said last mentioned means for engaging the laterally compressedstrip for forcing it hrough said inlet into'said channel. a

6. A machine of the kind described embodying therein, means providing a support each other to laterally compress a strip positionedabove said channel'anda member movable inan are about a fixed, axis for engaging said laterally compressed strip for "forcing it 7. Almachine of the kind 'descri bodying therein,-meansproviding a support fora-channel member havinga restrictedinlet, means associated with said support and relatively movable toward and away from each other to laterally compress a strip positioned above said channel, a shaft spaced from and parallel with said means, a member. swingable about saidshaft as an axis to engage said compressed strip for forcing it through said inlet into said channel and means actuated in the initial part of said swinging movement of said member and operatively connected to said relatively movable means for actuating the same.

'8. A machine of'the kind described embodying therein, a base, a pair of parallel block members on said base mounted for a relatiye movement toward and away from each other, actuating rods'operatively connected to one of said members, amain operating member, yielding means adapted to be 3 :for achannel member having a restricted inengaged by said operating member in the initial part of its movement for moving one of said blocks toward the other and means carried by said main operating member and. operable in the final part of the movement thereof to move intoa position between said block members as they approach each other.

9. A machine of the kind described embodying therein, a base, a pair of parallel block members mounted on said base for a relative movement toward and away from each other, a shaft journalled on said base parallel with said blocks, actuating rods fixed at one end to one of said blocks and slidable through the other of said blocks, a bushing through which each of said rods slide, spring means between said bushing and the associated ends of said rods, a main operating member fixed to said shaft, means operable in the initial part of theswinging movement of said operating member inone direction for engaging said bushing to actuate said 'rods and. means operable in the final part of said swinging movement of said operating ID0111- 5 ber in said one direction to move into a position between said-blocks.

10. A machine of the kind described embodying therein, a base, a block fixed onsaid base, a second block movable on the base toward and away from'the fixed blockta shaft parallel with said blocks, acounterbalanced operating member on saidshaft, rods secured at one end to said second block and extending toward and beyond said shaft,

yielding meansr'operablein theinitial part 7 of the swingingmovement of the operating member in'one direction to cause said rods to move said second block toward thefixed block; a member carriedlby said operating member and coacting with said blocks in the final part of the swinging movement of the operating member and means operable in a 1 swinging movement of said operating member in the other direction for moving said second'block away from the fixed block.

' In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 17day of Sept, 1929. HARRY A. -WEAVER;.' 

